Behind The Lens episode 170: ‘Accountability is not always an attack. And seeking transparency isn’t necessarily a witch hunt.’ 

The 'smart cities' controversy goes to court. Phase two of the Angola healthcare civil rights trial. And a state auditor finds that New Orleans schools have fewer certified teachers than others around the state.

On this week’s episode, an Orleans Parish judge denied the Cantrell administration’s attempt to block an ongoing investigation by the City Council into contract-fixing allegations.

A report by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor concluded that teachers in New Orleans schools are four times more likely to be uncertified compared to other teachers throughout the state. And the NOLA Public Schools district’s property insurance is going way up

A federal court judge began hearing arguments in the “remedy phase” of a trial over healthcare at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. The trial is a continuation of a seven-year-old federal class-action lawsuit filed by civil rights groups on behalf of all prisoners who are or will be incarcerated in the prison.

Our guests this week are Lens reporters Michael Isaac Stein, Marta Jewson, Nick Chrastil and editor Charles Maldonado.

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Carolyne Heldman

Carolyne Heldman Rovira has been in media for 35 years, and is currently the podcast host and producer for Behind The Lens. Heldman served as executive director at Aspen Public Radio, an NPR affiliate, where she launched four weekly news, public affairs, and cultural affairs programs. She has been a guest lecturer at Tulane University, is a frequent guest and moderator for the Aspen Institute, Rocky Mountain Institute, and the American Enterprise Institute.